~ Home of NC Reed

Search:

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

Author’s note: Here come the zombies! From here on, the story turns a bit more to the mature side for violence, language and eventual sexual situations. No porn, mind you but it will be obviously sexual in nature. Just letting you know. Read at your own risk. NCR

It was a beautiful spring day. The kind of day that made kids hate school, teachers, books and learning.

Feeling nostalgic for some reason, Takashi Komuro found himself on the stairs over looking the plaza. The cherry blossoms were beautiful. If he could he would just stay where he was for the rest of the day.

But if he didn’t move along soon, Saya would be out here, hammering him for being a slacker. He shook his head at the thought, smiling. He had come a long way since-

His thoughts were interrupted by yelling from the front of the school. Looking across the way he saw the P.E. teacher, at least it looked like him, reach the gate and then reach through it. Suddenly he screamed, and Takashi thought he could see him bleeding as he pulled his arm back.

“Shit,” Takashi muttered, pulling his phone from his pocket. He quickly dialed the one ten, only to get a recorded message telling him that no one was available, yada yada ya.

“Seriously?” he goggled at the phone as the recording continued. Looking up he could see another teacher, a woman leaning over the downed teacher. He started to relax for a second, thinking that with another teacher on the scene they could dea-

A second scream in just minutes galvanized Takashi. He watched as the P.E. teacher tore a chunk from his former science teacher’s shoulder with his teeth, black fluid flowing from his mouth.

“We gotta get outta here!” he was moving before he finished speaking. He had to get Saya. Had to get Saya, then he could get Khota. Khota was definitely someone to have around today. He would go get Saeko, another excellent choice for this. Morita would want to go, which meant finding Hitomi.

What to do, what to do, what to do. Shit, he couldn’t think fast enough. Saya first, no matter what. Saya first, then the rest. Saya, Saya, Saya-

It said a lot for the level of trust they had for each other that both of them got to their feet without question.

“What’s going on here?” the teacher demanded.

“There’s been an attack on two teachers at the front gate,” Takashi tried to stay and sound calm. “There are people outside the gate. . .something is wrong with them, though. I. . .I think it might be some kind of attack, sensei. We’re not safe here!” With that he took Saya’s hand and started for the door, Khota leading the way and Morita following without being asked or told.

“Hey!” Rei called out. “What about us?”

“I warned you, that’s really all I can do,” Takashi replied. “I don’t know what the hell is going on other than what I told you. I just know we have to get somewhere safe.”

“Where are we going?” Saya asked. “I can call Hari-”

“If you can call Hari-san, tell him to stay away,” Takashi ordered. “He’d never make it, and just end up like the teachers did. Tell him we’ll make our own way out, and call him if we get into a jam where he might be able to help us. And see if you can get my mom,” he added. She nodded and started texting as she let Takashi pull her through the hallway.

“For real,” Khota was dead serious. “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I need my vest. And we still have to get Hitomi,” he nodded to where Morita was about to jump into the ceiling.

“Hitomi first, then Khota’s vest,” Saeko said. She knew why he wanted it. And his backpack. She agreed it was important.

“Fine, let’s go,” Takashi nodded. “But we need to be considering some kind of transport while we’re moving. Can anyone drive a car?”

“I can, but you’ll want me doing something else,” Khota said.

“Where did you learn to drive?” Saeko asked him. He was directly behind her.

“Driving age is sixteen in America,” he shrugged.

“Can you guys do this later?” Takashi asked. “Saya, where is-”

“There!” she pointed to a class labeled 2D. Morita almost ripped the door open. Hitomi saw him at once and smiled until she saw the looks on everyone’s faces.

“What is the meaning of thi-” her teacher began, but was drowned out by the PA system.

“ATTENTION STUDENTS! THERE IS AN ALTERCATION OF SOME KIND TAKING PLACE ON THE GROUNDS AT THIS TIME. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, SO PLEASE REMAIN CALM AND LISTEN TO THE INSTRUCTIONS OF YO-No, No! Get back! Get awahhhhhhhH!”

The system went dead.

“I’m coming,” Hitomi was on her feet, taking Morita’s hand.

“Now wait just one mi-” her teacher’s voice was cut off when the door closed behind them.

“Let’s go,” Saeko said. “Khota’s locker, then to the infirmary.”

“What? Why?” Morita asked.

“First aid supplies aren’t much good I think, Saeko,” Takashi said grimly.

“Shizuka can drive,” Saeko said simply. “And you will want Khota doing something else, as he said. And there’s no way we leave her here to face this shit. She’s been too good to us. ”

“You’re right,” Takashi shook his head. “Let’s go.”

The six of them moved through a now crowded and panicked hallway as students began streaming out of classrooms in an effort to get away from whatever had caused Hitatani-sensei to scream like that over the PA. . . .

“Takashi!” they heard Hisashi Igou call. “Let us go with you!” He had Rei’s hand in his.

“Up to you,” Khota shrugged as they kept moving.

“Hell no,” Saya snarled.

“Will they be any good to us?” Saeko asked. “What are we facing? All I know is that we are being attacked somehow.”

“They bite,” Takashi admitted. “And they’re strong. Too strong. It’s like rabies or something, but it’s everywhere. I could see people outside the gate doing the same thing.”

“Weaponized maybe,” Khota said as they made it to his locker. He quickly had the lock open and pulled his vest on, followed by his backpack.

“A book bag? Really?” Takashi asked.

“It’s not a book bag,” Khota and Saeko said at the same time, then shared a look.

“All right, to the infirmary,” Khota said, slipping into the backpack.

“What about them?” Morita said, pointing to where Rei and Hisashi stood waiting.

“Free country,” Takashi told them finally. “Tag along if you want.” The two ran to join the group, relief on their faces. Saeko in the lead, the group began moving again.

“Watch close,” Khota was talking as he worked on something he’d taken from his vest. “If they transmit this shit with biting, then someone could come out of the crowds and hit us without warning. Make sure you’re watching.”

“He doesn’t need it,” Saeko said quietly. “The front window to the infirmary is broken,” she said, her tone shifting. “Be watchful.” They slowed, easing up to the door. Shizuka was trying to keep two of. . .Them, at bay using an IV stand from her small ward of beds.

“I see two,” she said to no one in particular.

“Got ‘em,” Khota replied suddenly and moved forward. Takashi was amazed to see him rack the slide on a small pistol that sported a tube on the barrel that Takashi recognized as a silencer thanks to numerous actions movies.

“What the hell?”

“Told you man. Insurance,” Khota replied. “Wait here and keep watch.” Then he was inside the infirmary, Saeko in the door, watching his back. Takashi decided that was a good idea and turned to watch the hall, only to see Saya, Morita and Hitomi already engaged in just that.

Pop!. . .Pop!. . . .Pop! Pop!

Sounds like glass breaking came from the infirmary and then Khota was back, waving them inside.

“Miss Shizuka is gathering a first aid kit. She’s pretty shook up. Someone should help her,” he looked pointedly at Morita and Hitomi, the latter who was starting to tremble.

“Try not to look down,” Khota warned. A startled yelp a few seconds later told him that hadn’t happened. He sighed, shaking his head before turning to his friends.

“Okay, if I didn’t know better, I’d say these are zombies,” Khota announced. “Head shots and they are out like a light. Anything else and they’re on you in seconds. But that can’t be it, right?”

“I don’t know,” Saeko replied, breathing easy for the first time in several minutes. She went to Khota and laid her head on his shoulder.

“You were coming for me,” she said softly.

“I always will, too,” he promised.

“Dude? Seriously? Can you focus?” Takashi was amazed.

“I am extremely focused,” Khota told him, hugging Saeko to him again. “Takashi, you’re the leader type, not me. If I get an idea, I’ll tell you so you can use it, or not. But. . .between you and Saya, what am I going to figure out that you don’t.”

“How about getting a gun into school?” Takashi asked.

“Ah, that’s nothing,” Khota waved it away. “It was in a dozen pieces. That’s what took me so long, and why it was so important to get to my locker.”

“Okay,” Shizuka interrupted them as she, Morita and Hitomi came from her treatment area. “We’ve gathered everything we should need at least for now. How many are injured?”

“Ah, Shizuka-sensei,” Takashi looked at her. “We’re. . .we’re getting out of here. There’s something really nasty going on outside and we want no part of it. Will you drive for us?”

“Me?” Shizuka looked confused for a second. “Oh, none of you have a license, do you,” it finally dawned on her. “Okay, then,” she nodded. “I’ll drive. Where are we going?”

“My house,” Saya said at once.

“Oh, good! I know where that is!”

“Oi,” Khota whispered and Saeko slapped the back of his head lightly.

“Is there anything else back there you need, sensei?” Takashi asked.

“More of what we already have, but. . .all three of us are carrying a lot already. We should only take what we can carry easily if we’re having to run.”

Saeko moved suddenly to where Shizuka was standing and reached down. Grabbing the nurse’s long skirt, she pulled the side seam until it opened, leaving a slit all the way to her upper thigh.

“What are you . . . Miss Busujima! This is Christian Dior! Do you know how expensive this is?”

“Is it worth your life?” Saeko asked, doing her long school skirt the same way, revealing way too much leg for Khota’s piece of mind.

“What are we doing?” Hisashi asked. He was holding a broom, unscrewing the handle, which he handed to Rei.

“Shizuka-sensei, do you have any tape and some scissors?” Khota asked, seeing the broom handle, and a mop with a similar handle. “A scalpel would work too,” he added.

Soon there were three adhoc spears added to the group as Khota made ‘field expedient melee arms’, as he called them.

“All right, where to now?” he asked. “What are we doing?”

“Shizuka, do you think the teacher’s lounge is a safe place for the moment?” Takashi asked.

“Oh it’s one of those little green cars!” she exclaimed. “You know, the ones that run on a little gas and a lot of electricity!”

“Which means it won’t help us any,” Takashi groaned. “Change of plans. We need to steal a bus.”

“The bus keys are in the teacher lounge, too,” Shizuka said. “We can take the nice bus they use for sports teams. It’s comfortable.”

“I’m more interested in the gas right now,” Takashi told her.

“It’s full,” Hisashi offered. “We were going to use it this afternoon to visit Mejo Academy. Tournament play. She’s full.”

“Great!” Takashi smiled for a second. “Okay then, gang. Teacher’s lounge it is. Same formation as before except now Hisashi and Rei have the rear. Saeko takes point, me left, Saya right, Khota backs us up. Morita, Hitomi and Shizuka-sensei in the middle. Stay behind Khota.”

“Right,” Morita nodded. He meant to stay as close to Khota Hirano and Saeko Busujima as he could. If anyone made it, they would.

The group moved up the hall as quickly as they could, the hall way strangely empty of traffic. Suddenly a figure appeared in front of them and Saya hissed for them to stop. Everyone froze.

“What’s going on?” Rei called loudly and the figure went from lethargic to alert and moving in second.

“Damn that loudmouthed bitch,” Saya muttered as Khota dispatched the poor soul in front of them.

“Hirano-kun!” Shizuka looked shocked. “Where did you get that?”

“From my locker. Let’s go!” he urged, not bothering to remind her she’d seen him use it in the infirmary just minutes earlier. The blonde was already having a rough day.

“Next time we see just one, we stop and everyone stay quiet!” Saya ordered. “We need to find out as much as we can about what’s going on here.”

“Right,” Takashi nodded. “Let’s go.” The group was moving again. They did okay until they got to the main hallway intersection. Here they found several such figures wandering around, bumping into walls and chairs, a few moaning and groaning as they moved.

“Wait,” Saya almost mouthed, holding up a hand. She took three coins from her pocket and tossed them across the hallway in the opposite direction they were going.

As soon as the coins hit anything, every walking sick person there headed straight for it. But they didn’t follow it once it stopped ringing or hitting anything. They went back to the confused stutter stepping or else stopped moving when they hit a wall.

“They can’t see,” Saya whispered in Takashi’s ear, then Saeko’s and finally Khota’s. Each nodded their understanding. Saya turned to everyone else and made a shushing motion. The group moved again, slower this time, stopping before the teacher’s lounge. The door was locked.

Full Disclosure?

I've seen a lot of people who review books and what not posting information about the fact that they receive books from people for free in order to review them. Apparently that's in compliance with some sort of law, or legal action.
I have occasionally posted reviews here on this blog, as anyone who reads it knows. I'm not a professional reviewer, or even really an amateur. I just like to read, and then share what I've read. That's all.
Every book I've ever posted a review for on this blog, I bought. Period. No one paid me or anything else. I just wanted to share my thoughts.
So with no idea whether I needed to state this or not, here ya go.
NC

I am a freelance Photographer born and raised in the Southeast. I have uprooted my life in Macon Georgia for a new life as an unlikely cowgirl in love with a handsome cowboy in Wyoming. I hope you enjoy my photo journal on life, love, and the spirit of Wyoming.